1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing device that analyzes image data and further combines image data using results of this analysis, and to an image processing method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A shooting procedure for shooting light trails of stars that move in accordance with the earth's spin, or fireworks, or light trails of fireflies etc. in a single photograph is generally carried out using long exposure time.
With digital cameras commercially available in recent years, for a plurality of images that have been consecutively taken, a method is performed in which these images are subjected to additive combination or comparatively bright combination processing using an image processing function within the digital camera or an image combination function using image processing software that uses a PC (personal Computer) that will be described later, to give a single image in which the above described light trails are captured.
For example, Japanese patent laid open No. 2013-62740 (hereafter referred to as “patent document 1”) proposes a camera that can shoot light trails by subjecting a plurality of images that have been taken consecutively to comparatively bright combination processing. This camera, compared to carrying out combination processing after shooting, using a PC or the like, can shoot light trails easily since combination processing is carried out automatically while the camera is shooting. On the other hand, in a case of carrying out combination processing after shooting using a PC, it is possible to combine photographs in which desired long light trails are captured by changing a number of frames to be combined and combining those frames, and to use various image processing functions that do not exist in the image processing program built in to the camera, and it is possible to create a photograph that is in line with the photographers desire using fine image quality adjustments.
However, with the camera disclosed in patent publication 1, for example, if, during shooting with light trails of stars as a subject, light trails that are different to those of stars, for example, aircraft or man-made satellite, are captured in the subject, it will result in a photograph that a photographer, who wishes to shoot with light trails of stars as a main subject, would be reluctant to accept. The same also applies not only to stars but also to when combining dramatic photographs taken with light trails of other than stars, such as fireflies and fireworks, as a main subject. Also, while there is a demand wherein a photographer wishes to adjust images for each different type of light trail (for example, carrying out adjustment of image quality so that the colors in firework trails standout without changing light of a background or stars etc.), this demand can not be met because it is not possible to differentiate for each trail.